https://www.curryathletics.com/sports/mice/2021-22/releases/POTW_1122
Curry College Colonels‘ graduate goalie Reid Cooper(33) apparently gained notice from a bit of an unlikely source, as he will join Washington Capitals on an ato in a back-up mode for their last game of the regular season.
The 6’2″ 190 lbs. net minder posted a 20-6-1 record in 2022/2023 with a 1.92 GAA and .935 SV% in 27 D3 games with 3 shutouts to earn the division CCC Goaltender Of The Year for his outstanding work to win the conference and move on to the final 8.
With this nod, it will be interesting to see where the 25-year old from Corman Park, SK and former 3-year Robert Morris University Colonials will go.
Once in fully pro status, he bounced around through the leagues, but when he arrived at Port Huron Prowlers seemed to find his game once again.
In 39 games, he posted a 23-9 record with a 2.28 GAA and .930 SV%, which is easily good enough to earn a starter invite for 2026/2027.
Merrimack College Warriors‘ graduate left wing, Ben Brar(18) takes a new college best 14 assists to a 1st pro deal with Florida Everblades.
In 3 ECHL games, he has 2 assists.
The 6’2″ 195 lbs. forward from Abbotsford, BC did 3 BCHL seasons, really connecting in his 3rd frame as assistant captain with Prince George Spruce Kings before heading to school.
There’s little doubt the 25-year old is ready to contribute a power game style.
He keeps those 2 helpers through 5 games, then adds another 1 in 7 en route to the 2024 Kelly Cup Championship and he will return for more in 2024/2025.
Signed as a rookie, he scores 9 goals and 5 assists with a +9 rating.
For 2025/2026, he re-signs for a 2nd year to stay an Everblades.
Limited to 24 games, then 2 in the playoffs on the way to a 2nd 2026 Kelly Cup trophy, he will stay put in Florida for 2026/2027.
2nd year Bentley University Falcons‘ goaltender Nicholas Grabko(33) is definitely garnering some attention.
He has put up an impressive pair of victories vs. ranked clubs, but even in losses has performed with gymnastic-like theatrics, stopping pucks.
The almost unassuming 5’11” 181 lbs. net minder was a late add to the college after a 2nd season on good junior hockey stats for Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL, even though he was basically an upcoming star in the Chicago Mission 13U – 16U AAA.
For a 2nd time in 3 weeks, the 21-year old has been named Atlantic Hockey Goalie Of The Week.
He has decided to take on a graduate season at University Of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks for 2024/2025 and we should watch him help his new college team win games.
In 20 games, he goes 5-11-4 with a 2.74 GAA and .899 SV%, which he takes to a 1st pro contract with Idaho Steelheads.
After 1 unsuccessful start, he finds himself on the move, signed by Toledo Walleye, where he notches a 1st ECHL win.
For 2025/2026, he leaves to sign with Yetis du Mont-Blanc of France2, which is likely to give himself a completely new start.
He had returned to sign with one FPHL team, but as the season approaches gets traded to join Columbus River Dragons for 2026/2027.
Colgate University Raiders‘ junior center Ryan McGuire(11) enters the transfer portal to skate Hockey East at Northeastern University Huskies for his senior year, 2024/2025.
The 6’2″ 183 lbs. forward scored a college best (by a mile) 14 goals and 12 assists in 34 games with a +5 rating.
From Ste-Agathe-des-Monts, QC, the 21-year old played his high school hockey at Belmont Hill, so has come back.
He scores 4 goals and 3 assists in 37 games, which he takes to an ato with Iowa Heartlanders and he connects for 5 goals and 1 assists in 8 ECHL games.
For his rookie season, Iowa Wild were paying attention to sign him for 2025/2026 to a 1-year, 2-way deal.
He would get a late trade to Maine Mariners and got 2 assists in 15 games, which is good enough to get him signed to stay for 2026/2027.
Junior net minder Dominic Basse(31) heads to St. Cloud State University Huskies in hopes to change his luck from a couple of tough sessions with Colorado College Tigers.
At 6’6″ 185 lbs., he’s a pretty massive block, who will likely find a ton more luck on a good club in the WCHA.
The Alexandria, VA native is a Chicago Blackhawks‘ 6th round pick in the 2019 draft (#167 overall), who will almost assuredly step up on their radar after just a season where he’s headed.
He’s still super young at 21.
After 2 decent years at his new school, he heads to St. Lawrence University Skating Saints to play a graduate frame.
He gets a couple tryouts that don’t go as well as anyone would have liked, but has waited and signs with Pensacola Ice Flyers for the remainder of 2025/2026.
Loaned up to the ECHL on a number occasions, he decides to return to the SPHL and signs with Macon Mayhem for 2026/2027.
Misericordia University Cougars‘ graduate defenseman Domenic Della Civita(2) signs a 1st pro deal with Watertown Wolves.
In 9 games, he has 2 assists.
The 6’1″ 190 lbs. blue liner had a college best 2 goals and 5 assists last season.
He came over after 4 years at SUNY Morrisville Mustangs.
From Trenton, ON, the 25-year old must feel good to being playing pro and likely looking to elevate that game.
In 14 FPHL games, he scored 3 goals and 5 assists, then added another 2 points in the playoffs and gets elevated to the SPHL and sign with Macon Mayem to start 2025/2026.
He would only come away with 1 assist in 13 games, so returns to the Wolves and has 1 goal in his 1st game back.
For the start of the new season, he would actually sign with Macon Mayhem and through 13 SPHL games had 1 assist with a 0 rating.
He was put on suspension and ultimately went back to Watertown Wolves, running up point totals to the tune of 3 goals and 7 assists in 7 games with a +5 rating, but they trade him to PeeDee IceCats.
After 4 goals and 9 assists in 30 games with a +18 rating, then adds another 5 points with a +4 in the playoffs, but elects to sign with rivals Columbus River Dragons for 2026/2027.
UMass-Lowell Riverhawks‘ senior left wing Blake Wells(54) heads into the transfer portal for a graduate season roughly 90 minutes west at American International College Yellowjackets.
The 6’2″ 201 lbs. forward should find more room in Atlantic Hockey to score.
His best season was as a junior, getting 3 goals and 5 assists in 29 games.
The 23-year old Blackie, AB native played 2 seasons in the nearby AJHL for Okotoks Oilers before committing to school.
He comes away with a college best 4 goals and 6 assists in his extra frame and signs a pro deal with Utah Grizzlies, where we suspect he will find more room in the ECHL to score using his power forward size.
After 3 games with no points, they would like to see what he does in a full frame, so sign him to continue wearing a Grizzlies‘ jersey for 2024/2025.
He was season-ending injured on opening night in his rookie frame, but is set to go for another 1st year run in 2025/2026 and signs with Tahoe Knight Monsters.
Beginning his season with Pensacola Ice Flyers, he’s called up for the majority of the frame, playing 22 games scoring 3 goals and 4 assists with a +1 rating.
For 2026/2027, he signs a 1-year deal with Reading Royals that should equal good things.
University Of Vermont Catamounts‘ 2024/2025 commit, 1st year Latvian-born, New Jersey Jr. Titans‘ right wing Kristofers Krumins(13) is off to a hot start with 5 goals in 12 NAHL games with a +1 rating.
We think the 6’2″ 198 lbs. forward could top at least 40 points in the frame before school.
He came over quickly to attend Don Bosco High School in Boston, where he light up scoring and also played youth hockey in New Jersey to catch his current team’s eye.
It’s his size and willingness to engage in the play that will bring him success at the college level.
He gets a late trade in his 2nd season to Maryland Black Bears, where he scores well, but re-decides his choice of schools and will head to Neumann University Knights for 2026/2027.
Niagara University Purple Eagles‘ assistant captain, junior right wing Declan McDonnell(26) had 12 goals and 14 assists in 37 games last season.
He came over from 2 USports‘ seasons at Saint Mary’s University Huskies, where he also scored well.
The 5’10” 185 lbs. forward has had a wild little run already, doing 4 years OHL, but going pro in the AHL the COVID campaign 2020/2021 with Syracuse Crunch.
Originally a Tampa Bay Lightning 7th round pick in the NHL draft (#217 overall) made sense for him to play with the affiliate.
From Buffalo, NY, the 24-year old played his youth hockey in the Jr. Sabres‘ system.
He foregoes a senior year and signs a pro deal with Worcester Railers.
In 9 games, he has a 1st ECHL goal and 2 assists.
He ends up with 1 goal and 4 assists in 11 games and is an easy invite for his rookie season to return as a Railers for 2026/2027.
University Of Connecticut Huskies‘ senior defenseman Thomas Messineo(47) signs a 1st pro deal with Kansas City Mavericks, as tournament play winds down.
The 6′ 190 lbs. blue liner played 3 ECHL before being loaned up to San Jose Barracuda on a pto.
He played 3 AHL games and 1 in the playoffs.
From Westwood, MA, the 24-year old will still need to be signed for 2026/2027.
After his 3-game loan, he scores a 2026/2027 deal for his rookie season with the Barracuda.
